Mandevilla plant named ‘RF AP1’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Mandevilla  plant named ‘RF AP1’, characterized by its upright to somewhat outwardly spreading plant habit; vigorous growth habit; freely branching habit; early and freely flowering habit; relatively large dark red-colored flowers; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Mandevilla sanderi.

Cultivar denomination: ‘RF AP1’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Mandevilla plant, botanically known as Mandevilla sanderi and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘RF AP1’.

The new Mandevilla plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Rheinberg, Germany. The objective of the breeding program is to create new early flowering Mandevilla plants with large flowers and tolerance to high temperatures.

The new Mandevilla plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in Rheinberg, Germany in May, 2007 of a proprietary selection of Mandevilla sanderi identified as code number E-Dip-06, not patented, as the female, or seed parent with a proprietary selection of Mandevilla sanderi identified as code number F-19-16, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Mandevilla plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Rheinberg, Germany in June, 2012.

Asexual reproduction of the new Mandevilla plant by cuttings in Rheinberg, Germany since July, 2012 has shown that the unique features of this new Mandevilla plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Mandevilla have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘RF AP1’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘RF AP1’ as a new and distinct Mandevilla plant:

-   -   1. Upright to somewhat outwardly spreading plant habit.     -   2. Vigorous growth habit.     -   3. Freely branching habit.     -   4. Early and freely flowering habit.     -   5. Relatively large dark red-colored flowers.     -   6. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Mandevilla can be compared to plants of the female parent selection. Plants of the new Mandevilla differ primarily from plants of the female parent selection in flowering habit as plants of the new Mandevilla are more freely flowering than plants of the female parent selection.

Plants of the new Mandevilla can be compared to plants of the male parent selection. Plants of the new Mandevilla differ primarily from plants of the male parent selection in branching habit as plants of the new Mandevilla are more freely branching than plants of the male parent selection.

Plants of the new Mandevilla can be compared to plants of Mandevilla atroviolacea×(Mandevilla amabilis×Mandevilla boliviensis) ‘Sunmandecrim’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 15,539. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Rheinberg, Germany, plants of the new Mandevilla differed primarily from plants of ‘Sunmandecrim’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Mandevilla were broader than plants of         ‘Sunmandecrim’.     -   2. Plants of the new Mandevilla were more vigorous than plants         of ‘Sunmandecrim’.     -   3. Plants of the new Mandevilla were more freely branching than         plants of ‘Sunmandecrim’.     -   4. Plants of the new Mandevilla had shorter internodes than         plants of ‘Sunmandecrim’.     -   5. Plants of the new Mandevilla had smaller leaves than plants         of ‘Sunmandecrim’.     -   6. Plants of the new Mandevilla and ‘Sunmandecrim’ differed         slightly in flower color.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearance of the new Mandevilla plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in the following detailed botanical description which accurately describe the actual colors of the new Mandevilla plant.

The photograph comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘RF AP1’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photograph and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown in 10.5-cm containers during the summer in a glass-covered greenhouse in Rheinberg, Germany and under cultural practices typical of commercial Mandevilla production. During the production of the plants, day and night temperatures averaged 18° C. and light levels averaged 4,500 lux. Plants were pinched one time three weeks after planting and were 20 weeks old when the photograph and description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Mandevilla sanderi ‘RF AP1’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Mandevilla             sanderi identified as code number E-Dip-06, not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of Mandevilla             sanderi identified as code number F-19-16, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About five days at             temperatures about 20° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About seven days at             temperatures about 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About three             weeks at temperatures about 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About four             weeks at temperatures about 20° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; white in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Upright and outwardly spreading             plant habit; vigorous growth habit; moderate growth rate.         -   Plant height.—About 75 cm.         -   Plant diameter.—About 40 cm.         -   Lateral branch description.—Branching habit: Freely             branching habit with about 15 to 20 lateral branches             developing per plant; pinching enhances lateral branch             development. Length: About 22 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm.             Internode length: About 2.2 cm. Strength: Strong; flexible.             Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 144A tinted with             close to 165A. -   Leaf description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite, simple.         -   Length.—About 5.4 cm.         -   Width.—About 3.1 cm.         -   Shape.—Elliptical.         -   Apex.—Apiculate.         -   Base.—Rounded or truncate.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous; glossy             in luster.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate, arcuate.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 146A.             Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 146B. Fully             expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 147A; venation,             close to 144C. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close             to 146B; venation, close to 147C.         -   Petioles.—Length: About 7.8 mm. Diameter: About 1.8 mm.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color,             upper surface: Close to 144B. Color, lower surface: Close to             145C. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower type and habit.—Salverform flowers alternately             arranged in terminal and axillary racemose clusters with             about five to six flowers per cluster, freely flowering             habit with about 60 to 80 flowers developing per plant;             flowers face upright to outwardly.         -   Natural flowering season.—Early flowering habit and long             flowering period, plants begin flowering about nine weeks             after planting and flower continuously throughout the summer             in Germany.         -   Flower longevity on the plant.—About three to five days;             flowers persistent.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Flowers.—Appearance: Salverform with five-parted fused             corolla; flowers roughly star-shaped. Diameter: About             5.9 cm. Depth (length): About 5.3 cm. Throat diameter: About             1.6 cm. Tube length: About 5 cm. Tube diameter at the base:             About 3 mm.         -   Flower buds.—Height: About 5.1 cm. Diameter: About 9.2 mm.             Shape: Elongated spindle-shaped. Color: Close to 145C and             53B.         -   Corolla.—Arrangement and appearance: Single whorl of five             petals fused towards the base. Petal lobe length: About             3 cm. Petal lobe width: About 3 cm. Petal lobe shape:             Roughly spatulate. Petal apex: Apiculate. Petal margin:             Entire. Petal texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth,             glabrous. Throat texture: Smooth, glabrous. Tube texture:             Smooth, glabrous. Color: Petal lobe, when opening and fully             opened, upper surface: Close to 53A; venation, close to 69A;             color becoming closer 53D with development. Petal lobe, when             opening and fully opened, lower surface: Close to 53B;             venation, close to 69B. Throat, inner surface: Close to 53A             to 53B; at the base, close to 17A; venation, close to 14A.             Tube, outer surface: Close to 57D and 154D; venation, close             to 145C.         -   Sepals.—Arrangement and appearance: Single whorl of five             sepals. Length: About 7.6 mm. Width: About 1 mm. Shape:             Ligulate. Apex: Acuminate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper             and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper and lower             surfaces: Close to 145B.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 3.4 cm. Diameter: About 1.8 mm.             Aspect: About 45° from stem axis. Texture: Smooth, glabrous.             Strength: Strong, flexible. Color: Close to 154C.         -   Pedicels.—Length: About 1.9 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm.             Aspect: About 45° from stem axis. Texture: Smooth, glabrous.             Strength: Strong, flexible. Color: Close to 154C.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Typically             five. Anther length: About 0.5 mm. Anther shape: Elongated             oblong. Anther color: Close to 8B. Pollen amount: Moderate.             Pollen color: Close to 3C. Pistils: Quantity per flower:             Typically one. Pistil length: About 2.75 cm. Stigma shape:             Star-shaped; five-lobed. Stigma color: Close to 138B. Style             length: About 2.3 cm. Style color: Close to 1D. Ovary color:             Close to 1D.         -   Seeds and fruits.—Seed and fruit production has not been             observed on plants of the new Mandevilla. -   Disease & pest resistance: Plants of the new Mandevilla have not     been noted to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to     Mandevilla plants. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Mandevilla have been observed     to have good garden performance and to tolerate rain, wind, full     sunlight and temperatures from about 5° C. to about 40° C. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Mandevilla plant named ‘RF AP1’ as illustrated and described. 